La Fragua

La Fragua is an office building located in the heart of Mexico City, just across one of the most important city landmarks: el Monumento a la Revolución. As the site is found in a corner, the design involved two facades, each working as a different street-front on the access level.

Design and construction regulations for high rise buildings are very strict in the area, as Mexico City is located in a heavy seismic zone. The tower considered these specific regulations in its design and, additionally, established a relationship with the monument itself and the surrounding plaza. The first design resolution was to decrease the floor area as the building height increased, following the city’s construction regulations. The second resolution was to make direct reference to the height of the monument and the copper-like material of its dome. The irregular shape of the top floors is virtually finished with the same structural frame of the building, which makes it appear as a regular rectangular prism. The intention of all these levels is to fade them with a tempered glass facade which reflects the sky.